EXPORT OF SHEEP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 10

EXPORT OF SHEEP.

TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA.

THE QUESTION OF QUALITY.

A further step in tho direction of preventing tho export to Australia of inferior stud and flock sheep has been taken by the council of the Royal Agricultural Society. It has decided to recommend to the Department of Agriculturo that a conferenco representative of tho sheep breeding societies bo convened, to discuss the position.

The council met last November to discuss with Dr. C. J. Reakcs, DirectorGeneral of tho Department of Agriculture, tho question of framing regulations governing the export of stud and flock sheep. It was stated that a cablegram had been received from Australia to tho effect that drastic action was being taken by tho Government stock departments there to prevent tho dumping of inferior stud sheep from New Zealand into the Commonwealth. Tho suggestion was mado that thero should bo an export tax of two guineas a head on stud sheep leaving tho Dominion, tho feeling being that tho payment of such a tax would not bo justified 011 "dud" sheep. Tho opinion was expressed at tho time by Dr. Reanes that the central organisation governing tho export of suitable sheep should bo tho Royal Agricultural .Society, as its council had on it representatives of the sheep breeding societies. A plan of procedure was agreed upon, providing for strict inspection of export, sheep by competent men, the tattooing of sheep passod as being of exportable standard, and tho issuing of export certificates, to bo endorsed by tho Royal Agricultural Society. Tho scheme was then submitted to the sheep _ breeding societies for careful consideration.

At a meoting last week replies wore read from the New Zealand Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders' Association, the ltycland SReep Society, of New Zealand, the Corriedale Sheep Society, the Canterbury A. and P. Society, and the New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association, indicating that those bodies did not wish the Royal Agricultural Society to interfere with the issuing of export certificates. It was decided to refer the matter, together with the above replies, to the Department of Agriculture with a recommendation that a conference representative of all the breeding societios bo convened to consider the position. The number and value of the sheep exported to Australia in the past four years were: 1925, 2095 (£12,72.1); 1926, 3541 (£19,333); 1927, 6713 (£30,403); 1928, 2583 (£14,046).